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17 June 2004
MADRID – Campaigners in favour of the controversial National Hydrological Plan staged an impromptu protest in parliament Thursday.
Waving banners saying ‘Water for all’, the group of mostly right-wing town mayors, held the short protest in the parliament.
The president of the Congress, Manual Marin, permitted the protest, which was staged by twenty protesters.
This was a change from the normal situation when protesters are not allowed to stage demonstrations in the parliament.
Many of the protesters Thursday were members of the conservative Popular Party members.
They are fighting against government plans to stop the National Hydrological Plan (PHN) which was launched by the previous government.
It involves taking water from the River Ebro in the north-east of Spain and diverting it to the south of Spain where water is in short supply.
The plan has been opposed by ecologists who say it would damage the delta of the Ebro, which is home to wildlife and a protected national park.
The new Socialist government has stopped the plan and is poised to propose an alternative Friday.
This will involve fixing the price of water.
[Copyright EFE with Expatica]
Subject: Spanish news